On banning books, creative planning and a paved 98th Street

Lincoln City Libraries Director Ryan Wieber on Monday introduced Terri Dunlap as the newest Library Board member, a position that requires City Council approval to a seven-year term.

Councilman Tom Duden asked Dunlap how she felt about keeping certain materials in the youth section — an issue that’s come up several times in the last year.

Banning books — or at least removing some from the young adult section — has been an issue nationwide, and while it’s generated less controversy in Lincoln than in other parts of the country, or even the state, it’s come up.

Last year, the five requests to remove items from the city’s library shelves or from the youth sections was the largest number of such requests in at least the past five years, mirroring a record number nationally.

Several of the items dealt with gender identity or sexual orientation, which critics argue are too sexually explicit.

The people who have requested books be removed from the youth section have found a supporter in Duden, who said Monday he thinks there are some inappropriate materials in the youth section of Lincoln libraries, and he believes they should be moved to the adult sections.

Dunlap said she isn’t yet familiar with how Lincoln libraries deals with such requests but does feel like it’s parents’ role to decide what their children read.

“I do believe that not all books are for all people, and I do believe that’s the parents’ job to help discern those decisions,” she told the council.

She said she’d thought about what her own reaction might be as a parent finding a book like those people have requested be removed. She said she would see it as an opportunity for discussion with her child.

“Even if I had the opinion he shouldn’t be reading that book, that is my chance to tell him but not necessarily to take that opportunity away from other people.”

Councilman James Michael Bowers, who is gay, came to the defense of diverse choices in libraries, saying he didn’t come out until his 20s, and libraries provided him the opportunity to find answers to questions he was too afraid to ask — or didn’t have anyone to ask.

“Access to libraries and making sure people have materials available to them is a form of suicide prevention and a way to protect mental health,” he said. “As someone who directly benefited from it, as someone who is passionate about making sure we create a safe environment, thanks to Lincoln City Libraries for saving my life in that way.”

The council approved Dunlap’s appointment on a 6-1 vote, with Duden voting against it.

Speaking of libraries, the city’s Urban Development Department decided to try a little creative planning to get the Lincoln City Libraries’ Bethany Branch the additional parking it needs.

To do so, the city wants to buy the lot just to the south at 1700 N. Cotner Blvd., then find a developer interested in developing a portion of it, with the idea that the city would craft an agreement so that the library would share the parking lot during certain hours.

For years, the library had the first chance to buy the property were it to be for sale, but because of a change in ownership, it was sold on the market to a developer, Urban Development Director Peter Hind told the City Council recently.

Some time later, the developer changed his mind and asked if the city wanted to buy it.

By that time, the library had taken money for the potential purchase out of its budget and the director approached Hind to see if he had any ideas. The library needed parking but had no building expansion plans.

Hind thought he could craft an arrangement similar to the one covering a property just south of the Lincoln Community Playhouse near 56th Street and Normal Boulevard.

The playhouse shares parking with the Gere Library branch just to the north, and a developer bought land to the south. When an oral surgery business opened there, the community playhouse shared parking with that business as well, since it needed parking at different times than the business.

Such an arrangement would accomplish a couple of things, Hind said: getting the library the parking it needs and encouraging infill development in an older part of the city.

“It was clear in my mind, we could do the same thing with Bethany,” Hind said. “We think it’s important to do this work for the neighborhood, and for the library.”

The council approved a change to the capital improvement program that will allow the city to buy the land for $200,000, though Hind said there will likely be some public meetings before the city decides exactly how it would be marketed to developers.

North 98th Street from Holdrege to Adams streets is now paved.

The section of roadway opened last week, a pretty big deal for Lancaster County Engineer Pam Dingman — and the growing number of motorists who use 98th Street.

“The thing that is significant about this stretch of 98th Street is it gives the traveling public an alternate route to 84th Street, which is a dramatic need of our community,” Dingman said.

There were already a few sections of 98th Street that are paved: from Holdrege to O streets and from Old Cheney Road to Nebraska Parkway.

With the completion of the Holdrege to Adams section, the county is closer to its ultimate goal of getting the entire road — from Nebraska Parkway to Adams Street paved, Dingman said.

“This corridor, with the growth of the city, really needs to get completed,” she said.

For years, the road has been a mismatch of conditions: some gravel, some paved roadway, and a few sections not open.

Work on the section from A to Old Cheney is now underway and should be completed by this fall, Dingman said.

Design work on the last section — from A to O streets — should be finished and ready for construction in 18 to 24 months.

The latest stretch cost about $1.2 million, which the county paid for; 80% of the section from A to Old Cheney will be paid with federal funds, and the city is paying for a recently annexed section between Van Dorn and South streets — the first project on which the city and county have partnered on the busy corridor.

It’s difficult to maintain gravel roads when more than 300 cars a day travel on them, Dingman said. More than 700 cars traveled the Holdrege to Adams and Old Cheney to A sections before construction started.

Maintaining a mile of gravel on 98th Street under those travel conditions costs $125,000 a year. So having it paved?

“It’s a game-changer,” Dingman said.